Transfer device

ABSTRACT

A transfer device is provided for the loading and unloading of loads from a first station, e.g., a transport vehicle, to a second station, e.g. a loading platform. The device essentially comprises a transfer trolley including a main body having a plurality of transfer conveyor chains driven by a driving unit, and an extractor-pusher mechanism actuated by the conveyor chains via a transmission device. The extractor-pusher mechanism initially is placed beneath the load and, by means of a thrust or traction force imparted by the transmission device, transfers the load from the first station onto the main body for displacement of the load to the second station. The transfer trolley is further provided with rollers movable along rails for transverse movement of the trolley relative to the respective stations.

United States Patent 1 Bomstein 1 1 Jan. 16, 1973 54] TRANSFER DEVICE75] Inventor:

[22] Filed: June 17, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 46,891

Jacques Bomstein, Paris, France [30] Foreign Application Priority DataJune 17, 1969 France ..6920059 Dec. 26, 1969 France ..6945102 [52] US.Cl. ..214/38 B, 214/38 D, 214/8314, 214/8322 [51] Int. Cl ..B65g 67/02[58] Field of Search...2l4/38 B, 38 BA, 38 BB, 38 C, 214/38 D, 516, 517,84, 83.22, 83.14

3,397,802 8/1968 Hinchce ..214/517 X R 8,534,057 12/1950 Pride ..214/5172,004,095 7 6/1935 Hankins et al. ....2l4/38 B 2,348,019 5/1944 Norbom..214/516 Primary ExaminerRobert G. Sheridan Attorney-Waters, Roditi,Schwartz & Nissen [57] ABSTRACT A transfer device is provided for theloading and unloading of loads from a first station, e.g., a transportvehicle, to a second station, e.g. a loading platform. The deviceessentially comprises a transfer trolley including a main body having aplurality of transfer con veyor chains driven by a driving unit, and anextractor-pusher mechanism actuated by the conveyor chains via atransmission device. The extractor-pusher mechanism initially is placedbeneath the load and, by means of a thrust or traction force imparted bythe transmission device, transfers the load from the first station ontothe main body for displacement of the load to the second station. Thetransfer trolley is further provided with rollers movable along railsfor transverse movement of the trolley relative to the respectivestations.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN 16 I973 SHEET 2 0F 4PATENTEUJAN 16 ms 3,710,961

SHEET 3 [IF 4 l. 1. l l

PATENTEDJAH 16 I975 SHEET l- UF 4 TRANSFER DEVICE The present inventionrelates to a device for the complete transfer of a load between twoseparate supports, for example between a transport vehicle and anunloading platform and vice-versa.

Numerous transfer devices are already well known in the prior art. Forexample, Brit. Pat. No. 557,793 describes a transfer device mounted onthe chassis of a transport vehicle, and which is capable of transferringloads between the vehicle and an unloading platform.

The transfer device comprises members for hauling and pushing the load,driven by an engine also mounted on the vehicle for the purpose ofmoving the loads on to guiding means provided on the vehicle and on theplatform. However, although a device of this kind works perfectly, itscost is relatively high. It is in fact necessary to take intoconsideration the fact that each vehicle must be equipped with its owntransfer device. On the other hand, equipment of this kind requiresconstant and difficult maintenance.

The German Patent application published under the No. 1,285,951describes a device for transferring loads between a vehicle and aplatform by means of a driving mechanism constituted by a winch-motorsystem mounted on the platform and operating in known manner, either onthe front portion or on the rear portion of the load, depending onwhether this latter is to be loaded on or unloaded from the vehicle. Thetransfer device according to this German Application overcomes thedrawbacks indicated above, since only the platform is equipped with thewinch-motor system, the vehicles being only provided with equipment oflow cost. However, with a device of this kind, loading and unloadingoperations become long and difficult due to the fact that the vehiclemust come in turn into station exactly opposite the loading point.

On the other hand, a device of this kind is suitable only for theloading of vehicles end-wise, and is not applicable for the case of sideloading. Finally, this invention is only applied to the loading ofpallets fitted with rollers and rolling on rails, and not to loads whichare not provided with their own means of displacement.

Other transfer devices are also known which are only suitable for theloading of one load at a time and which are inoperative in the case oftotal loading of a group of loads not assembled to each other.

The present invention has for its object to remedy all these drawbacks,and is directed to a transfer device of relatively-low cost, simple inoperation, which enables all transfer operations to be effected andwhich is suitable for the total loading and unloading of one or a numberof loads of any kind.

To this end, the present invention relates to a transfer device for thetotal loading or the total unloading of a load or a group of independentloads which may be mounted on pallets and which are not necessarilyequipped with their own means of displacement, the said device beingcharacterized in that it is constituted by a transfer trolley moving onrails along a constant distance, formed between two separate parallelsupports, constituted for example by a loading and unloading platformand by a row of transport vehicles parked in a set-back position withrespect to the platform, the transverse dimension of the trolley withrespect to the direction of movement being approximately equal to thatof said constant distance, said load being capable of total diaplacementin a continuous manner along guiding means provided on the two supportsand on the transfer trolley by the action of driving meansmounted on thetrolley and driven in reversible movement in the direction of theguiding means, by a driving means, also mounted on the trolley.

in a device of this kind, all the driving members which ensure theloading and unloading are thus arranged on the transfer trolley itself.The equipment of the vehicles is reduced to simple rolling ramps whichfacilitate the sliding movement of the load.

By virtue of its mobility, a single trolley can easily serve a long fileof waiting vehicles in front of an unloading and supply platform. On theother hand, by virtue of the device according to the invention, itbecomes possible to choose a driving means which is sufficientlypowerful to effect the loading and unloading of a vehicle in arelatively short time. For example, a l2-meter half-trailer of 20 tonscan be loaded in about 40 seconds. This possibility is practicallyexcluded in the case where the driving means is mounted on the vehicleitself, since the overall size of such means and its relatively-highcost then constitute serious limitations.

The device according to the invention is equally well suited to theloading of a load mounted on pallets and to a load placed directly onthe ground.

In this latter case, the load should however be sufficiently rigid forit to be handled totally. This is the case for example of containers,wooden cases or cardboard boxes. The load may also be constituted by agroup of pallets, cases, containers, arranged in one or a number ofsuperimposed layers.

In this case, loading and unloading are effected totally by moving allthe loads.

No particular limitation needs to be applied to the nature of thesupports. They may be constituted by a platform and by transportvehicles such as lorries, halftrailers, railway cars, and even ships andcargo aircraft.

According to a particular form of embodiment of the invention, the saiddisplacement means are constituted by at least one chain conveyor, themovement of which is transmitted to a transmission device capable ofapplying to the load either a thrust so as to displace it totally fromthe transfer trolley to one of the two supports, according to thedirection of drive of the conveyor, or a tractive force in order todisplace it totally in the opposite direction.

According to a preferred form of embodiment of the invention, thetransmission device is constituted by one or a number of push-rodsdesigned so as to be applied directly on the load and connected togetherby at least one transverse rod capable of being connected to any pointof the conveyor, the said rod being connected to the load by means oftraction chains.

According to one particular form of embodiment, the traction chains areconnected to the arms of a swingle-bar arranged at the rear portion ofthe load.

The transfer device also comprises means for adjustment of height suchas lifting jacks or the like, designed so as to bring the platform ofthe trolley to the same level as the floor of the vehicle or as theunloading platform.

The invention will now be described below with reference to theaccompanying drawings, given solely by way of example and not in anylimitative sense. in the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view diagrammatically illustrating a transfer trolleyaccording to the invention, adapted for loading half-trailers in theend-on position from a platform;

FIG. 2 is a view in cross-section taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the extractor-pusher mechanism according to theinvention, the upper half illustrating the position of the parts duringthe extraction of the load, and the lower half-view showing the positionof the parts during the pushing of the load; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the arrangement of a platform with a trolleyaccording to the invention, for the purpose of side loading railwaycars.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a platform 1 arranged for loading and unloadinglorries and half-trailers 2a, 2b, 2c. On the platform is arranged aseries of pre-loading and unloading stations S,, S and 8;, eachconstituted by an elongated track. Each track is equipped withlongitudinal conveyors 3. The conveyors 3 of the various stations aredriven in forward or reverse movement by a corresponding operating drive4.

Along the platform andin its immediate vicinity, a transfer device ortrolley 5, comprising a platform 6 mounted on carrier wheels 7, moves onrolling rails 8 parallel to the edge of the platform 1.

On the floor of the transfer trolley, a driving mechanism is arranged inthe longitudinal direction, constituted by conveyor chains 9 wound ontwo shafts 10 (see FIG. 2), mounted at the extremities of the transfertrolley, and traveling over two tension wheels 11 ensuring a regulationof the tension of the chains. The chains 9 engage shaft 12 of a drivingmeans 13 for the translation movement of the chains. The chains aremaintained in a horizontal position over the whole length of the trolleyby means of supports 14 uniformly spaced apart and supported on thefloor 6 of the trolley.

As shown clearly in FIG. 3, removable cleat devices 15 can be fixed atany desired point of the chains 9. Each of the said cleat devices isconstituted by two longitudinal push-rods 16 coupled together by atransverse coupling bar 17. Each bar is connected at its extremities toone of the chains 9 in order to transmit to the load a thrust force whenthe chains are driven in movement in the direction of the arrow A, and apulling 'force when the chains are driven in the opposite direction.During a movement in the direction of the the floor of the half-trailer.The arms 23 of the swinglebar 24 extend longitudinally between guidingramps 28 having a height slightly less than that of the rollers 27. Thearms 23 are normally engaged under the pallet 18 carrying the load,while the body of the swingle-bar 24 is in contact with the rear face ofthe load P,

For reasons of safety, in the case of an error by the operator, a disc29 actuating a limit switch contact is fixed on, each of the couplingbars 17 in order to stop the operation of the driving means 13 at theend of the travel of the push-rods.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the loading and unloading position, an abutment30 fixed at the rear of the halftrailer comes into contact with astop-wall 31 extending parallel to the platform. The low wall is builtat a distance from the platform such that the clearance existing betweenthe floors of the half-trailers and the trolley is relatively small, forexample of the order of 5 cm. The oscillations and variations in levelof the halftrailer caused by the displacement of the load areeffectively prevented by means of a brace 32 engaged under the rearportion of the half-trailer.

In FIG. 4, numeral 41 indicates a self-propelled transfer deviceidentical with that of the preceding figures, the only differenceresiding in the fact that the transfer device of FIG. 4, is arrangedparallel to the edge of the platform 42. The transfer device 41 can moveon rails 43 between the platform 42 and a line 44 of railway cars 45,stationed at a pre-determined distance from the platform. The transferdevice may be equipped with a traction and pusher mechanism with chainsand cleats similar to that previously described and designed to effectthe lateral transfer of a load 46 between the platform 42 and the cars45 of the line 44. However, any other appropriate thrust device such asjacks, pushing trolleys, telescopic trolleys may also be employed.

The cars 45 are necessarily of the type with a total side opening, orwith a flat floor, so as to permit complete access from the side. Thedisplacement of the load on the cars 45 by the action of the push andpull device of the transfer apparatus is facilitated by ramps withrollers or by simple transverse slides (not shown) provided on thefloors of the cars. The loads can be blocked in position on the cars bymeans of screw jacks or by any other appropriate device eliminating allrisk of movement on the ramps or slides.

The unloading of the pallets, containers or cases from the cars 45 maybe effected by thesame transfer device by means of swingle-bars andtraction chains cient number, four in the form of embodiment shown infloor of the half-trailer 2a are fixed rolling tracks 26 constituted bya number of longitudinal rows of rollers 27 each rotating about atransverse axis. The rollers 27 serve to facilitate the displacement ofthe load along such as those previously described, or by means of anyother equivalent system such as jacks or extractor trolleys, etc.

As in the first embodiment, the platform 42 is constituted by asuccession of elongated tracks provided with longitudinal conveyors 47intended to carry the loads 46. These tracks are uniformly loaded, inthe direction of the arrows 48 by a storage and distributing conveyor(not shown).

Numerous and varied loading and unloading operations can be carried outby means of the trolley according to the invention. By way of example,and to show the flexibility of use of a trolley of this kind, it ispossible, as shown in FIG. 1, to unload at the unloading station S theload P initially placed on the half-trailer 2a,

and then to load on the half-trailer 2a a load P previously prepared onthe pre-loading station 8,.

To this end, the half-trailer 2a is first brought into its correctposition against the stop-wall 31 (F102) by alignment with a stripformed on the ground perpendicular to the wall. The brace 32 is thenengaged under the half-trailer in order to prevent variations of levelof this latter. The transfer trolley 5 is then brought into alignmentwith the half-trailer 20 by causing it to roll on the rails 8. Ifnecessary, an adjustment of the height of the trolley may be effected.

An operator then fixes the chains 22 on the device by engaging the hooks21 of the coupling in the last link of the corresponding chain 22, ascan be seen from the upper half of FIG. 3. The drive means 13 for thechains 9 is then actuated in the opposite direction to the arrow A. Thetractive force applied by the chains 9 is transmitted by means of thechains 22 to the swinglebar 24 which pushes the pallets 18 carrying theload P in the direction opposite to the arrow A. The assembly of thepallets and the swingle-bar then moves longitudinally on the rollers 27,the bar being guided during the course of this movement by theco-operation of the arms 23 and the lateral guiding ramps 28.

Since the height of the trolley and that of the trailer floor are thesame, the load is transferred without shock or tilting onto the chainsof the trolley. As soon as the load p has been completely placed on thetrolley, the drive means 13 is immediately stopped. The cleats are thenremoved and the chains are unhooked. The trolley is then moved on therails 8 until it comes into alignment with the unloading station 8;, inthe position shown in broken lines in FIG. 1.

The drive means 13 is then again started-up, together with the operatingunit 4, this latter causing a movement in the same direction of themechanism 3 provided on the platform. The drive means 13 and theoperating unit 4 are constructed in such manner that the driving speedsof the chains of the trolley and the chains of the mechanism 3 aresubstantially equal. The result is that the load P, moving at apre-determined speed on the trolley continues to move at the same speedon the driving mechanism 3 until the load P, is correctly positioned onthe unloading station S When the trolley has been freed from its load,it is moved on the rails 8 until it has been brought into alignment withthe pre-loading station S on which the load P has been prepared. Thisload is also arranged on pallets resting on the chains of the drivingmechanism. The operating unit 4 of the station S, and also the drivemeans 13 of the chains of the trolley are then simultaneously actuatedin the direction of the arrow A, as shown in FIG. 3. When the load hasbeen correctly positioned on the transfer trolley, the drive means 13 isstopped and the trolley is transversely moved until it comes oppositethe half-trailer 2a. The pusher device 15 is then mounted on the chains9 of the trolley behind the load P When the drive means 13 is againactuated, the thrust force of the chains is applied through theintermediary of the push-rods 16, to the rear edge of the pallet 18carrying the load. The result is that the pallet 18, pushed by thetrolley, reaches the rollers 27 on which it slides until it comes intocontact with the abutment 25.

It should be noted that the push-rods only come into action in the finalphase of the loading in order to pack the pallets against each other. Atthe moment when the load passes onto the lorry, the swingle-bar 24becomes introduced under the first pallet 18 and is located with itschains 22 on the floor of the half-trailer. This swingle-bar 24 willfurthermore be employed during the subsequent unloading of thehalf-trailer 2a. The transfer trolley is then available to carry out anew operation.

The translation speed of the chains of the transfer trolley may be ofthe order of 18 meters per minute.

It will furthermore be understood that numerous modifications of detailsmay be made to the embodiment described, in particular by thesubstitution of equivalent technical means, without departing from thescope of the invention. I

For example, any other movement of the transfer device may becontemplated; the device may be pivotally mounted. On the other hand, itis possible to contemplate, instead of a moving transfer device, a fixeddevice mounted opposite the platform and having a height which isvariable according to that of the vehicle to be loaded or unloaded. Inorder to carry out all the loading and unloading operations, thevehicles must pass in front of the fixed device.

What I claim is:

l. A transfer device for the loading or unloading of a load or of agroup of loads all at once, said device comprising, in combination: atransfer trolley, two separate supports constituted by a loading andunloading platform and by transport vehicles adapted for beingimmobilized in a fixed position with respect to said platform, said twosupports being separated by a constant distance, rails disposed betweensaid supports, said trolley being movable on said rails between the twosupports, the transverse dimension of said trolley with respect to thedirection of displacement being approximately equal to that of saiddistance between the supports, guiding means on said transfer trolleyand on said supports, load-displacing means mounted on said trolley formoving said load in a continuous manner along said guiding means, and adriving means also mounted on said trolley for actuating saidload-displacing means for reversible movement, said driving meanscomprising at least one chain conveyor, a transmission device engageablewith said chain conveyor to apply to the load either a thrust in orderto displace said load as a unit from the transfer trolley towards one ofsaid two supports, depending on the direction of movement of theconveyor, or a traction force in order to displace said load as a unitin the opposite direction, said transmission device comprising aplurality of push-rods adapted to act directly on the load and at leastone transverse bar coupling said push rods together and adapted to beconnected to said chain conveyor to apply thrust to said load, and atraction chain connectable to said transverse bar and to said load fortransmitting traction force from said bar to the load.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a swingle-bar disposed atthe rear portion of the load, said traction chain being connected tosaid swingle-bar.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which said platform is providedwith a plurality of loading stations each including a conveyor fordisplacing the load, and

driving means for actuating said conveyor independent of the drivingmeans of the transfer trolley.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which said guiding means comprisesrollers.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, for end loading an unloading oftransport vehicles disposed perpendicularly to said platform, vsaiddevice being arranged for movement perpendicularly to said platform.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said driv-

1. A transfer device for the loading or unloading of a load or of agroup of loads all at once, said device comprising, in combination: atransfer trolley, two separate supports constituted by a loading andunloading platform and by transport vehicles adapted for beingimmobilized in a fixed position with respect to said platform, said twosupports being separated by a constant distance, rails disposed betweensaid supports, said trolley being movable on said rails between the twosupports, the transverse dimension of said trolley with respect to thedirection of displacement being approximately equal to that of saiddistance between the supports, guiding means on said transfer trolleyand on said supports, load-displacing means mounted on said trolley formoving said load in a continuous manner along said guiding means, and adriving means also mounted on said trolley for actuating saidload-displacing means for reversible movement, said driving meanscomprising at least one chain conveyor, a transmission device engageablewith said chain conveyor to apply to the load either a thrust in orderto displace said load as a unit from the transfer trolley towards one ofsaid two supports, depending on the direction of movement of theconveyor, or a traction force in order to displace said load as a unitin the opposite direction, said transmission device comprising aplurality of push-rods adapted to act directly on the load and at leastone transverse bar coupling said push rods together and adapted to beconnected to said chain conveyor to apply thrust to said load, and atraction chain connectable to said transverse bar and to said load fortransmitting traction force from said bar to the load.
 2. A device asclaimed in claim 1, comprising a swingle-bar disposed at the rearportion of the load, said traction chain being connected to saidswingle-bar.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which said platformis provided with a plurality of loading stations each including aconveyor for displacing the load, and driving means for actuating saidconveyor independent of the driving means of the transfer trolley.
 4. Adevice as claimed in claim 1, in which said guiding means comprisesrollers.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 1, for end loading andunloading of transport vehicles disposed perpendicularly to saidplatform, said device being arranged for movement perpendicularly tosaid platform.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drivingmeans comprises a drive unit mounted on said trolley and in drivingengagement with said chain conveyor.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 1wherein said driving means further includes a plurality of said chainconveyors arranged in parallel relation, adjacent chain conveyors beingcoupled by a respective transverse bar.